A Queen's Return
by LaurensBrit
Summary: Jenny comes back from the dead. What repercussions will that cause? Will the team forgive her or are her efforts in vain? Not done yet, found this one my laptop and I thought that I would post it! Should I continue?


**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing than the story, the characters belong to NCIS CBS.**

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

The day that everyone had found out about Jennifer Shepard's death had been a hard one, especially for those that had been there and had been unable to protect their Director. Anthony DiNozzo and Ziva David had been her protection detail but Jenny as she was known to her friends had persuaded them to let her sort herself out, but after deciding to follow her they heard shots coming from inside the abandoned diner. The two partners shared a look as they quickly pulled out their guns and headed inside, the scene that greeted them would be something that neither of them would ever forget as they saw their Director laying with multiple gunshot wounds bleeding out on the ground. But what they wouldn't realise until years later was that Jenny Shepard's death had all been an elaborate hoax, something that she had needed to do to protect herself from the people that had been wanting her dead. And Jenny felt so bad for having to lie to those that she cared about, she hadn't even told Gibbs about what she had been planning to do. There were only a few people that knew of her plans. For the NCIS team life went on without her, they got Leon Vance as their new Director, a man who was completely different to Jenny and ran NCIS unlike Jenny had done. A lot had secretly said that they preferred Jenny being their boss, but as they all believed that she was dead there was nothing that could be done to remedy that, yet.

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

Abby was sat in the back room of her lab it was one of those days where she was remembering those she had lost, like Kate and Jenny. Abby looked up when she heard the door open and close, when she did she noticed Tony standing next to her desk and looking down at her, "Hey Tony." Abby smiled sadly as she kept her head rested on her hands.

"Something wrong Abs? You don't seem exactly yourself today." He said softly as he glanced around her lab before looking back down at the black haired woman who seemed down today.

"Don't you remember what today is Tony?" Abby asked him as she locked her hazel coloured eyes on his green ones; she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"I'm not sure I do remember Abs." He told her as he crouched next to her, his thumb going to wipe away her tears as soon as they fell down her cheeks. Then it clicked in his head as he noticed the framed photo on Abby's desk, "The anniversary of Jenny's death." He sighed softly and pulled Abby into a tight hug.

Abby chewed on her lower lip when he pulled her into his arms, "I miss her Tony, and everyone thought that we didn't get along because we are two completely different people. But we did get along, she was honestly like a Mom to me and I felt lucky to have her around." The gothic scientist was clutching at the knuckles that the Director had given her once so that she would be able to protect herself.

"She was and always will be a beautiful woman Abs; we all know that you miss her. We all miss her, and it's been five years. It's never been the same without her." He said as he held Abby close and just let her stay quiet for a few moments.

"You know, I always hoped that she hadn't really been killed. I always hoped that she had managed to pull off some kind of hoax, fake her death because there was someone after her." Abby sighed again and spent the next few moments just hugging her friend and colleague. She then let him go and got back to her computer.

"Are you going to be okay Abs? I can stay a while if you want; we don't have much going on upstairs." He told her as he stood himself up and glanced at her again and then at the photo on Abby's desk.

"I'll be fine, but thanks Tony." Abby smiled softly up at him as she nodded softly and watched him leave before turning up her music and locking herself in and getting her head into a video game. She just wanted to distract herself today, they didn't currently have a case to work on at the moment but Abby knew that she would have to be there just in case there was anything that any of the team needed her for.

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

Jenny meanwhile had managed to sort out the problems that had sent her into hiding in the first place. This meant that she could come back; it meant that she could be Jenny Shepard again. And she wondered whether any of them would even consider taking her back after she had lied to them for so long. But Jenny had to deal with the threats against her life, and the threats against the friends that had come to mean so much to her in her time as Director of NCIS. She had seen news broadcasts about the agency; she had seen who had taken her position after she had been 'killed' and she wanted to change that, even if it had all been arranged. She would find some way to make Vance quit the position, she wanted it back, and she wanted to be back where she felt like she belonged the most.

So she had flown back to D.C and agreed a meeting with Vance under the guise of her new identity, of course she would go back to being Jennifer Shepard once she knew she could get her position back. The café she had arranged the meeting it at was quiet and almost empty, the only other souls in there along with her was the two members of staff working on that late Tuesday evening. As soon as the soft tinkle of the bell above the door sounded Jenny's head snapped up to see who had just walked in, it was Vance right on time as they had agreed.

Over the years Jenny had let her hair grow out, she still kept it the same colour it had always been, she had just liked it longer and tonight she had her soft curls pulled into a loose ponytail on the back of her head as she looked up and watched carefully as Vance approached and sat down on the table opposite her. It was obvious that the serious middle aged man had just come from work as he still had his tie fastened up but his top button was undone.

"Leon." Jenny said softly as she took a sip from her mug of coffee and looked him straight in the eye, she wasn't about to be a coward about what she'd had to do to save her ass and the team's, even if they didn't know it and she wasn't ever going to tell them unless she really had too.

"Jen, you know what you did was unacceptable. What you put everyone through was just horrible." Vance frowned at her now as he leaned back in his chair and kept his eyes locked with hers.

"It had to be done Leon; I had to save my skin as well as Jethro's. Oh, and Tony's and Ziva's too. And even Tim, Abby and Ducky could have been in trouble, maybe even killed if I hadn't faked my death. But don't forget that you were the only one who knew about it." Jenny kept her voice calm like the sea on a day where there was no wind to produce ripples and waves. Jenny knew that the storm was still to come, when she saw Gibbs for the first time, she knew that there would definitely be an argument between them.

"The great Jenny Shepard, she can always handle everything by herself. You could have told one of us, maybe you wouldn't have had to go into hiding for 7 years. And why pick now to come back? The anniversary of your supposed death?" He questioned her; the two of them still had their eyes locked. They had rarely ever seen eye to eye, always butting horns with one another with matters of NCIS.

"I can handle myself Leon. And if I had told one of the agents then it would have probably compromised everything. I did tell you though after all didn't I? You helped me. You have to understand my reasoning behind this. It was something that I couldn't avoid no matter what I did; there would have been casualties if I hadn't. And I couldn't cope with losing another one of my Agents, especially after Caitlin Todd. Even if she was one of Morrow's Agents. Her death affected everyone." Jenny narrowed her eyes a little, "I don't know whether this is going to come as a shock to you Leon, but I want my position back. I want to be back where I should be."

"I'm sorry Jenny but I can't let that happen. There are going to be so many repercussions from you coming back from the dead, Gibbs and the others had to see you being buried. They might not want you back." Vance raised an eyebrow and shook his head with a soft laugh. "I can't believe you even considered asking after what you have done Jenny."

Jenny took a long drink from her coffee mug before placing it back on the table empty before speaking again, "I've seen you working Vance, I might have been dead but word spreads. Especially from an agency like NCIS. They want you gone Leon." She told him with a soft smirk on her lips, "They want you back in your old position; they want me back where I should be."

"I still can't let it happen Jenny. It's been years. Even if I was a part of all of this." Vance wasn't about to back down and lose his position all because Jenny had decided to come back from the dead.

"Oh it will happen Leon, I want my position back and you know how I've always been with getting what I want." Jenny let out a soft laugh, her lips curling into a one sided smile. "So I'm sure you can make this easy for yourself, sign the papers and bring back Jenny Shepard. Oh and resign, I'm sure that they won't miss you too much."

"I'm not backing down on this Jenny." He told her as he folded his arms over his chest.

"Oh Leon, I'm sure you don't want all the fuss I'd have to make if you don't back down. I'll have it all pinned on you for my reasoning. Which you were anyway. But all this can be kept quiet." Jenny ordered herself another coffee as she handed the waitress her empty cup and a few minutes later she was brought a fresh mug full. She looked up at him from the rim as she took a long drink and then placed the mug down on the table; the slight stain on the rim came from her deep coloured lipstick.

Leon sighed then, he hated big issues and people making a fuss. He didn't want to back down but that was his only option, "I'll have the papers signed by tomorrow Jenny. But I won't let you forget what you've done."

Jenny shrugged as she took another drink, "I don't think I'll ever forget. I have some work to do to get them to trust me again. And I think I know who the hardest to win back will be, and the easiest. Well not exactly the easiest that was a bad way to put it."

"Who?" Came Vance's simple answer, he really couldn't be doing with the red haired woman right now.

"Jethro is definitely going to be the hardest to earn the trust of again. And I think the one person who'll understand the position I had been put in is going to be Abby. She might not put her trust back in me straight away but I know for a fact that girl has been through similar. Oh I saw what happened to the poor girl, you let her get kidnapped." Jenny shook her head, "I would have done everything to prevent that from happening."

"There was nothing that we could have done. Miss Sciuto was in L.A at the time, helping the NCIS team we have there." Vance kept his arms crossed as he watched the red head carefully. "You'll have your papers done by tomorrow Jenny." He got up now and walked out calmly, even if he did feel like flipping the table.

Jenny gave that one sided smile again now as she watched him leaving, the soft tinkle of the bell above the door sounded again as he opened it and let it shut behind him. Jenny finished her coffee then and paid the woman with a soft smile on her face before heading home, knowing that it would still be there waiting for her.

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

 _ **Jenny's POV:**_

 _The drive home was quiet, it had been a long time since I'd been in my Father's family home, the place I'd lived ever since I left the Navy and joined NCIS. When I pulled onto the drive I glanced up, just the way I remembered it. It still looks the same as it did when I grew up here, I never did like change. When I walk inside everything is still there, just covered in dustsheets it looks like no one really wanted this house to not be mine. And I wouldn't have it any other way, now I start pulling the sheets, the dust chokes me a little and I cough. But I don't care; I want this place to feel like a home again, my home. It takes me almost an hour but soon everything is uncovered and it looks just like the day I 'died'. A soft sigh escapes my lips as I walk into my study, my quiet place. The bottle of Bourbon is still there and it makes me smile, it makes me remember all the times I had Jethro round and the two of us had a drink together. And then my mind takes me back to Paris, the first time me and Jethro shared a bed, something I'll never forget and something that I wish I hadn't given up. Maybe if he ever forgives me I'll be able to ask him if he feels the way I do, or maybe what I did was too horrible. I let tears come to my eyes then, something I rarely do, as I think about how it must have looked to Tony and Ziva. The two agents that I had as my protection detail, I hope they don't blame themselves for my death, who knows? Maybe by now they've been able to get over it, but I surely haven't. I go to sit behind my desk then with yet another soft sigh, I wonder if they'll ever forgive me._

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

The next day everyone was in early after they heard the news of Leon Vance resigning from his position and taking back his old one which had never been filled. Gibbs was the first in and he glanced over at the elevator when he heard that familiar ding as the doors open. He saw Agent Ziva David step out and head for her desk. Ziva had returned not long after Bishop had left which had repercussions of its own but most were relieved that she was back safe even if she had hurt Tony by leaving the way she had done.

"Gibbs!" Ziva exclaimed when she saw him at his desk and she took off her coat before speaking again, "Did you hear about Director Vance? Is that why you are here early too?" She asked and her boss just nodded.

The next to arrive was McGee, "Have I missed anything? Everyone in early for the same reason? Well not everyone yet. Tony and Abby aren't here, neither is Ducky." He said quite breathlessly as he put his bag down behind his desk and took off his coat.

"Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs!" Everyone glanced around when they heard Abby's voice and saw the tall Goth running for the squad room and stopping dead in the middle. She glanced at each of them and bit on her lip. "Well by the fact that Tony isn't here yet I don't think I've missed anything. He is always the last to arrive." She pursed her lips slightly and went and sat down in Tony's desk chair.

Ducky came through next with that tweed hat of his, "Ziva, Jethro, Timothy. And oh my Anthony you've changed. Good morning to you too Abigail."

That got a small giggle out of Abby, "Ducky, you know I don't like being called by my full name unless I'm in trouble or telling myself off."

"Well. We are only waiting on Tony now." Ziva stated as she glanced at each of them. "I really want to know why Vance is resigning. And who we may get as his replacement." She was saying what she knew everyone would be thinking and then everyone's heads snapped up when the elevator went again.

"Sorry I'm late!" Tony was a little breathless as he came into the squad room and playfully narrowed his eyes at Abby who stood up and let Tony sit down.

"You're right Ziva. I mean, everything was going okay. I know he lost his wife but that was two years ago. He doesn't seem AS affected by it as he was back then." Abby sat on Tony's lap then knowing that he wouldn't mind that at all as there wasn't anywhere else for her to sit right now.

"Quiet Abbs." Tony pressed a finger against his friend's lips as he'd spotted Vance at the top of the stairs. Abby just nodded and fell silent.

"Leon." Gibbs was the first to speak when the now Ex-Director of the agency had reached the bottom of the stairs. "We want answers. All of us." He was stood up now and a few paces away from Vance.

Everyone had their eyes on the two of them but none of them dare utter a word as they waited for an explanation. All Vance did was look back up to the top of the stairs; all of them had failed to notice Jenny Shepard stood at the top, looking down at them. The look of shock washed over each of their faces as they blinked a few times to try and take in whether it was actually her or not. The silence was eerie as they watched her take each step down the stairs until she was stood next to Vance.

"Jenny!" Abby didn't care as she was off of Tony's lap even if he tried to stop her and she had hugged Jenny gently for a few moments before letting her go and returning to Tony's lap.

"It's good to see you Abby. It's good to see all of you." She said quietly, she'd hugged Abby back but she had her eyes locked with Gibbs. "It's especially good to see you Jethro."

Gibbs didn't even make a sound; he had one question so far. "You Leon's replacement?" He got a nod in response.

"My office?" She asked and Gibbs also responded with a nod. The two of them left the bullpen then and went back up the stairs, not glancing back at the Agents who watched in utter disbelief.

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

Once they were alone Gibbs let in to a little of his anger, "Why Jen?! Why would you fake your death!? I know you were in trouble but you could have come to me, you know that I could have helped you!"

"Maybe you could Jethro. But I couldn't have you in any danger. And before you say anything, you would have all been in danger. They would have gone for the most vulnerable one first. They would have tried to get to Abby and you know it. Then one by one they would have hurt or killed each of you until they got to me. By faking my death all of you were in no danger whatsoever."

Gibbs let out a frustrated sigh and ran his fingers through that silver hair of his. "I missed you Jen." He gave in for the first time as he looked her in the eye and she stood directly in front of him now.

"I missed you too Jethro." She reached up and placed her hand gently against his cheek wondering if he would push her away. When he didn't she was really relieved. "Jethro. I should have never let you go and I realise that now. God it took me to fake my death and be without you to do so but I'm not letting it stay in the closet anymore. I need to know whether or not you feel the same or not. I understand after everything that's happened that you may not…"

Gibbs didn't even give her the chance to finish her sentence before he wrapped an arm around her waist and had kissed her softly on the lips. "I know how you feel Jen and I've never stopped feeling the same way. I've been waiting to do that a long time."

Jenny smiled softly as she returned the kiss tenderly before taking her hand away from his cheek, "I was worried that you wouldn't feel the same after this. I thought you would be much angrier at me too."

"I am angry with you Jen, but I had to make sure I didn't lose you again." He said with a soft sigh.

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

Abby was pacing around her lab by now with tears streaking down her cheeks. She had Bert hugged tightly to her chest as she ramped up the volume of her music to try and drown out her own thoughts. She jumped when the music stopped abruptly and she spun around to see Tony stood behind her. "Tony! You startled me. What is it?" She asked him as she quickly tried to hide her tears. But it didn't work and her friend had her in his arms in an instant.

"I know exactly how you're feeling Abbs there's no need to try and hide it." He said softly as he kissed the top of her head once she began to sob into his shoulder.

"I-I don't know whether to be angry that she's back or glad. I think it has to be a mix of both." She told him quietly, her voice muffled a little by the fact that she had her face hidden against his shoulder and her eyes squeezed closed.

"Probably a bit of both Abby. It hurts that she couldn't tell us and let us help her out; but Abby she probably had a perfectly acceptable reason for doing what she did. So when she decided to sit us all down and tell us why she did what she did don't take it too hard on her. Just wait and see okay Abbs?" He told her as he rubbed her back gently to try and calm her down and get her to stop sobbing.

"Y-Yeah…" Abby nodded her head softly and slowly pulled herself out of his embrace even if she didn't really want too once she spotted Ziva walk into the room. "I'll leave you two alone. If you want me I'll be in Ballistics." She said quietly as she grabbed Bert and only smiled faintly when he made his farting sound as she went into the other lab and shut the door.

Ziva glanced at Tony after she'd watched Abby walk away and saw that his eyes lingered on the Goth. She snapped her fingers which made him look at her. "Is she okay Tony? She seems to be taking this much worse than any of us. I have not seen her cry so much since I first met her after Kate's death."

Tony frowned a little, "Don't even bring Kate into this. You should know by now that mentioning her will only make Abby worse. So keep it zipped okay?"

Ziva was a little taken aback by the tone that he had used with her. "I understand Tony. I would not have done that anyway." She sighed a little and ran a hand through those wild brown curls of hers and glanced up at him. "You seem to be spending more and more time with her Tony. Is there something that we need to know?"

"No Ziva. There is nothing that you need to know. I have just been making sure that a friend that I've had for years is okay. Because unlike you she isn't one to take things lightly." He glanced at Ziva again but he was soon looking back at the door for the ballistics lab.

Ziva took a step forward then, in the direction of the other lab, "I will go and see if she is okay." She said quietly. But she was stopped by Tony grabbing her arm.

"Do you not know Abby? If she goes into the other lab ALONE, she wants to be alone. So leave her Ziva. We should both leave her actually. She will call one of us if she needs a shoulder." He told her as he almost dragged Ziva out of Abby's main lab then and pressed the button for the elevator.

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

 ** _Abby's POV:_**

 _I'd stood near the window in the ballistics lab, I couldn't hear what they were saying but I can lip read so that helped a little. I saw that Tony was being quite firm with Ziva, everyone had believed that he was in love with her, but from what I was seeing that was definitely not the signs of a man in love with a woman. Once the two of them had gone I sat down on the ground and curled up under one of the benches, everything was running through my mind at that moment and it was overwhelming me. Secretly I just longed to be in Tony's arms, he was the one who always knew how to make me feel better, the one that was always there for me after Kate died. Of course McGee tried flirting with me, I slept with him once a long time ago but I really didn't feel anything for him, he's just not my type, too pudgy. I wonder if Tony feels the same way I do because I know now for definite that I am falling in love with him. I think I have been for a long time I just haven't had the courage to speak up and tell him. My mind takes me to today's events now, Jenny was back, that was a good thing right? I'd missed her like hell but it hurt to know that she'd lied. Tony told me that she'd had a good reason, I believe him. Jenny was a great friend of mine despite what everyone seemed to think, we spent nights together of course. If Jenny ever needed anyone to open up to she'd call me. And I liked that about her, we may have seemed like opposites but we could talk for hours, laugh, watch movies, and have proper girl's nights either at my place or hers. I missed that the most, I missed the friend I had in Jenny and I missed the leader. That fearless leader she always was, yes she could be stubborn and just go ahead into things but she always came out on top, she always got that problem solved. I closed my eyes for a second then and before I knew it I'd drifted off into a light sleep._

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

Jenny had left her office after talking to Jethro for quite some time and she decided to go and visit Abby down in her lab, she would speak to everyone one by one and explain herself and her actions. She glanced around the lab when she stepped inside and frowned a little when she didn't see the forensic scientist. "Abby?" She walked through to the back of the lab then and just spotted Abby's boots through the ballistics lab window. She opened the door carefully and crouched down in front of Abby and smiled slightly when she saw that the Goth was sleeping. "Abby, sweetheart." Jenny shook her leg a little to wake her.

"Hmm?" Abby mumbled and stretched a little, "H-hey Jenny." She smiled slightly but she sounded slightly scared, she just blinked at Jenny for a few moments. "Why didn't you let us help you? I helped you before, we all helped you before. But I missed you. A lot." She leaned forward and hugged the redhead then.

"I'm sorry I had to leave like that Abby but it was done to protect all of you. It was done to keep you all safe." Jenny hugged Abby back then, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she rubbed her back a little, "And I'm sorry Abby, if it could have been any other way then it would have been."

"You really mean that Jenny?" Abby smiled and let Jenny go from the hug reluctantly, she had to admit that even if Jenny's explanation had been brief she believed her and even understood her. "What about everyone else? Have you spoken to them yet?"

Jenny shook her head a little, "I've spoken to you and Jethro so far, but I am going round everyone and I'm going to sit down with them and explain it how I have with you."

"I know you've just got back and everything but would you like to come to my place tonight? I'm not one to hold grudges and I'd like to pick up where we left off. If that's what you want." Abby asked with a huge smile on her face now.

"I'd love that Abby, I know it's going to take a long time but I just want things to go back to normal. I have a lot of work to put in but I'm willing to put it in and run this agency like I used too." She smiled softly and stood up with Abby now. "How about I come round to your place at about seven?" Jenny glanced up at the taller woman as they walked back through to the main lab together.

"That sounds great Jenny, I'll cook. Is there anything specific you'd like to eat? I mean I know you always liked the spaghetti Bolognese I made." Abby's smile had only gotten bigger since Jenny had agreed to come over to her place.

"Sounds delicious Abby, I'll see you then. If you haven't got a case on, feel free to go home. No point you being here if you don't have anything to do." Jenny smiled once more and then headed back to the elevator for the bullpen.

*NCIS*NCIS*NCIS*

Jenny spent the next couple of hours speaking to each of the agents in turn. She explained everything to them in detail, telling them it had not just been for her own safety but for there's too. Of course they were all still angry with her and hurt but Jenny had told them that she understood that. But that now she was back for good and that she wouldn't be leaving again. The last person she went to see was Ducky, she'd confided in him about her illness and luckily with extensive treatment she'd managed pull through and she had the all clear. And that was all down to Ducky's initial diagnosis.

She stepped off the elevator and into the autopsy lab where Ducky was sat at his computer. She cleared her throat and stood just inside the doors as he turned and stood up. "Hello Doctor Mallard." She smiled sadly.

"It's good to see you alive Director Shepard, but I thought you had a terminal illness." He walked up to her and glanced into her eyes.

"They all thought it was terminal and I ended up in hospital for quite a few months. But I managed to pull through the treatment; the doctors believed it was amazing that I'd got the all clear. But it's not coming back and I have you to thank, if it hadn't been for your diagnosis at the right time then I probably wouldn't be here today."

"You don't need to thank me; I was just doing something for a friend." He smiled softly, "You don't have to be formal with me again you know."

"Well then Ducky I'd like you to drop the formalities too. I know what I had to do wasn't the best, but you are all like my family, I couldn't have anyone harming you, any of you to get to me."

"We would have been there for you Jenny, you know that." He frowned a little then and kept his glance on her eyes.

"I know that Ducky, but things were very; precarious. I didn't want one thing to go wrong. And thankfully it didn't."

"I understand Jenny, just don't do anything like it again, and at least tell Jethro. How's he taken this?"

"He's taken it better than I would have ever expected, we had an argument and yelled but once we'd got that out of the way he kissed me Ducky." Jenny couldn't help but smile, "We both realised that I'd made a massive mistake in Paris. I just wish that I'd chosen to stay with him. Hopefully we can be happy together now."

Ducky smiled as he listened to what Jenny was telling him, "He wasn't the same after you left. It was only subtle but I could see it. I'm just glad you two can sort things out."

Jenny nodded with another smile, "There are going to be more arguments in the near future, he's still hurt and I feel guilty, but what's done is done, we are both putting it in the past and starting fresh."

"I'm happy to hear that Jenny, I wonder if we'll see any change in him at all." Ducky smiled, they both chatted for a while longer before Jenny left and headed back upstairs.


End file.
